Kari Haakana was born November 8, 1973 in Outukumpu, Finland. The eighth round, 248th overall selection of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Haakana honed his skills in the Finnish Elite League and the DEL before making his North American debut in 2001-02.

A stay-at-home defenseman, Haakana spent the majority of the 2001-02 season in Finland before joining the Oilers organization in the latter stages of the season. Upon his arrival in North America, Haakana joined the AHLs Hamilton Bulldogs and spent the better part of the following year in Hamilton while seeing his first NHL action with the Oilers later on in the 2002-03 season.

After two seasons with the Oilers organization, Haakana opted to join the Swedish Elite League.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1990-91

Kiekko-Espoo Jr.

Fin-Jr.

36

3

3

6

34

1990-91

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland-2

4

0

1

1

0

1990-91

Finland

EJC-A

6

1

1

2

0

1991-92

Kiekko-Espoo Jr.

Fin-Jr.

26

0

4

4

34

1992-93

Lukko Rauma Jr.

Fin-Jr.

36

4

16

20

60

1992-93

Lukko Rauma

Finland

4

0

0

0

0

1993-94

Kiekko-Espoo Jr.

Fin-Jr.

5

0

2

2

2

1993-94

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland

47

3

2

5

40

1994-95

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland

48

4

3

7

54

4

0

0

0

0

1995-96

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland

45

1

7

8

48

1996-97

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland

48

0

12

12

69

1997-98

Kiekko-Espoo

Finland

47

4

1

5

59

8

0

1

1

6

1998-99

Star Bulls Rosenheim

Germany

51

1

9

10

58

1999-00

Star Bulls Rosenheim

Germany

61

4

9

13

74

2000-01

Jokerit Helsinki

Finland

52

2

8

10

98

5

0

0

0

2

2001-02

Hamilton Bulldogs

AHL

6

0

2

2

25

+6

2001-02

Jokerit Helsinki

Finland

36

0

3

3

40

12

2

2

4

2

2002-03

Edmonton Oilers

NHL

13

0

0

0

4

-2

2002-03

Hamilton Bulldogs

AHL

12

0

4

4

12

+3

14

1

2

3

6

2003-04

MODO Hockey Ornskoldsvik

Sweden

31

1

3

4

50

6

0

0

0

12

2004-05

Blues Espoo

Finland

47

1

9

10

52

2005-06

Blues Espoo

Finland

20

0

4

4

66

2005-06

Fuchse Duisburg

Germany

21

0

6

6

42

5

0

3

3

6

2006-07

Skelleftea AIK HK

Sweden

43

1

11

12

56

2006-07

Skelleftea AIK HK

Sweden-Q

10

0

1

1

4

2007-08

Karpat Oulu

Finland

9

1

3

4

14

11

0

1

1

12

2007-08

Skelleftea AIK HK

Sweden

21

0

1

1

20

2008-09

Pelicans Lahti

Finland

18

2

0

2

16

2009-10

Kloten Flyers

Swiss

8

0

0

0

10

NHL Totals

13

0

0

0

4

Missed majority of 2002-03 due to rib injury vs. Vancouver, December 26, 2002. Signed as a free agent by MODO (Sweden), August 25, 2003. Signed as a free agent by Blues (Finland), April 13, 2004.